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Related Concept Videos

Aggression01:47

Aggression

Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for hire...
Competition02:34

Competition

When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. Even if two competing individuals or populations do not interact directly, the overall fitness of both competitors is lowered as a result of not having full access to the limited resource.Intraspecific competition, which occurs between individuals of the same species, serves as a natural mechanism for regulating population size. Too much...
Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance01:20

Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance

Frustration occurs when people are obstructed or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need. For example, when someone's input is ignored in a discussion, it can lead to feelings of frustration. Conflict, however, arises from opposing interests, goals, or actions. Conflicts can take various forms based on the nature of these opposing desires or goals.
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable options,...
Fixed Action Patterns01:06

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.
Relationship Formation02:12

Relationship Formation

What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A New Approach that Eliminates Handling for Studying Aggression and the "Loser" Effect in Drosophila melanogaster
07:19

A New Approach that Eliminates Handling for Studying Aggression and the "Loser" Effect in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: December 30, 2015

How to pick a good fight.

Saj-nicole A Joni1, Damon Beyer

  • 1Cambridge International Group, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. saj@camix.com

Harvard Business Review
|December 9, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Organizational harmony can be detrimental, leading to complacency and poor performance. Embracing constructive conflict and dissent is crucial for company success and innovation.

Area of Science:

  • Business Management
  • Organizational Psychology

Background:

  • Excessive workplace harmony can stifle critical feedback and lead to organizational failure.
  • Complacency is identified as a primary predictor of poor company performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the conventional wisdom that conflict-free teamwork is always beneficial.
  • To advocate for the strategic implementation of constructive conflict within organizations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of organizational behavior and historical business case studies (e.g., Lehman Brothers).
  • Expert insights from seasoned business advisors on managing workplace dynamics.

Main Results:

  • A lack of productive dissent can result in unchecked crises and significant business decline.

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Peering into the Dynamics of Social Interactions: Measuring Play Fighting in Rats
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Peering into the Dynamics of Social Interactions: Measuring Play Fighting in Rats

Published on: January 18, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A New Approach that Eliminates Handling for Studying Aggression and the "Loser" Effect in Drosophila melanogaster
07:19

A New Approach that Eliminates Handling for Studying Aggression and the "Loser" Effect in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: December 30, 2015

Peering into the Dynamics of Social Interactions: Measuring Play Fighting in Rats
15:01

Peering into the Dynamics of Social Interactions: Measuring Play Fighting in Rats

Published on: January 18, 2013

  • Organizations require a balanced approach, integrating alignment with healthy competition.
  • Conclusions:

    • Cultivating a culture that encourages productive conflict, focusing on future value and sportsmanlike conduct, is essential for sustained organizational success.
    • Leaders must establish guidelines for constructive disagreements, emphasizing noble purposes and future-oriented solutions over past blame.